International hit drama, Death in Paradise, is to expand its universe with a brand-new series, Beyond Paradise, for BBC and BritBox international, which reveals what happened to DI Humphrey Goodman after he left the sunny shores of Saint Marie.
Beloved by millions of fans worldwide and one of the most popular shows on TV in more than 90 countries across the globe, the phenomenon that is Death in Paradise has kept armchair detectives enthralled for over a decade. One of the show’s most popular characters, the endearingly awkward and rather unconventional DI Humphrey Goodman, led the island’s police team in solving the most mysterious of murders. However, when Humphrey fell hopelessly in love with island tourist, Martha Lloyd, he decided to leave the sun-soaked paradise to follow her back to the colder climes of the United Kingdom.
Co-commissioned by BBC One and BritBox International, and reuniting Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton in the lead roles, Beyond Paradise is a new, original drama which picks up Humphrey and Martha’s story as they navigate a new life together in the idyll of rural Britain.
Seeking a quieter life away from the stress of the city, Humphrey has taken a job as Detective Inspector in fiancée Martha’s hometown. However, they soon find that country life is anything but peaceful and Humphrey can’t help but be distracted by the town’s surprisingly high crime rate with a new, and very different, case challenging him each week.
Kris Marshall said: “I had the best time playing Humphrey out in Guadeloupe and whilst I was delighted that he got his happy ending with Martha, I always wanted to know what happened next. So it’s a joy to be putting his crumpled jacket back on and seeing how life has panned out for him back in the UK. Working with Sally is a dream, and I can’t wait to continue Humphrey and Martha’s story and solve a few seemingly impossible mysteries along the way.”
Executive Producer for Red Planet Pictures, Tim Key said: “We always knew there were more Humphrey Goodman tales to be told and with the brilliant Tony Jordan leading the writing team, bringing all the Death in Paradise spirit, humour and joy to this brand new, original series, we can’t wait to get started. While Humphrey is used to contending with fiendishly clever puzzles, the biggest challenge of all is navigating his private life and finding out what happens beyond the ‘happy ever after’. We’re delighted to be working with Kris and Sally again and creating a little bit of Paradise in the UK.”
Tommy Bulfin, Drama Commissioning Editor, BBC, added; “We are delighted to welcome fan-favourite DI Humphrey Goodman back to the BBC. Luckily for us, his knack for cracking the trickiest crimes is as much needed in rural England as it was on the sun-kissed shores of the Caribbean. We cannot wait to see what he and Martha get up to next.”
Diederick Santer, COO for BritBox International states: “Death In Paradise is beloved by BritBox audiences around the world, so we’re delighted to bring Kris, and Humphrey, back to the UK for a whole new set of mysteries. Full of Tony Jordan’s trademark wit and warmth, we hope this will be both a treat for existing fans and new ones.”
Mark Linsey, MD of Scripted at BBC Studios, the international distributors of Beyond Paradise and Death In Paradise said: “The team at BBC Studios has worked successfully with Red Planet Pictures and BBC One for over a decade to bring the hit entertaining series Death In Paradise to audiences across the globe from France, to South Africa, to Sweden, to across Asia. It is a show that is beloved by viewers of all ages, so to bring a new series with the popular Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton reprising their roles, is excellent. We know that international audiences will be excited to go on a whole new set of investigative adventures with the pair in their new setting in the UK.”
Created by Tony Jordan and Robert Thorogood, Beyond Paradise is a co-commission between BBC One and BritBox International and will be produced by Red Planet Pictures, part of the Asacha Media Group.
Founder and Executive Chairman of Red Planet Pictures, Jordan, will act as showrunner and lead a team of writers working across the 6x60 series. Jordan, Tim Key and Belinda Campbell will be executive producers for Red Planet Pictures, and Diederick Santer and Tommy Bulfin will executive produce for BritBox International and BBC respectively. BBC Studios brokered the co-production deal with Britbox International and will handle international distribution. The series is produced by Lindsay Hughes and directed by Sandy Johnson.
Filming will start on location in the UK later this year and further details, including additional casting, will be announced in due course.